for the term of his natural life-第124章

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ast　look　round　the　chamber　which　had　witnessed　his　futile　struggles　against　that　baser　part　of　himself　which　had　at　last　triumphed。　　It　was　so。　Fate　had　condemned　him　to　sin；　and　he　must　now　fulfil　the　doom　he　might　once　have　averted。　　Already　he　fancied　he　could　see　the　dim　speck　that　was　the　schooner　move　slowly　away　from　the　prison　shore。　He　must　not　linger；　they　would　be　waiting　for　him　at　the　jetty。　　As　he　turned；　the　moonbeamsas　yet　unobscured　by　the　rapidly　gathering　cloudsflung　a　silver　streak　across　the　sea；　and　across　that　streak　North　saw　a　boat　pass。　Was　his　distracted　brain　playing　him　false？in　the　stern　sat；　wrapped　in　a　cloak；　the　figure　of　a　man！　　A　fierce　gust　of　wind　drove　the　sea…rack　over　the　moon；　and　the　boat　disappeared；　as　though　swallowed　up　by　the　gathering　storm。　　North　staggered　back　as　the　truth　struck　him。

He　remembered　how　he　had　said；　〃I　will　redeem　him　with　my　own　blood！〃　Was　it　possible　that　a　just　Heaven　had　thus　decided　to　allow　the　man　whom　a　coward　had　condemned；　to　escape；　and　to　punish　the　coward　who　remained？　　Oh；　this　man　deserved　freedom；　he　was　honest；　noble；　truthful！　How　different　from　himselfa　hateful　self…lover；　an　unchaste　priest；　a　drunkard。　　The　looking…glass；　in　which　the　saintly　face　of　Meekin　was　soon　to　be　reflected；　stood　upon　the　table；　and　North；　peering　into　it；　with　one　hand　mechanically　thrust　into　the　bag；　started　in　insane　rage　at　the　pale　face　and　bloodshot　eyes　he　saw　there。　　What　a　hateful　wretch　he　had　become！　　The　last　fatal　impulse　of　insanity　which　seeks　relief　from　its　own　hideous　self　came　upon　him；　and　his　fingers　closed　convulsively　upon　the　object　they　had　been　seeking。

〃It　is　better　so；〃　he　muttered；　addressing；　with　fixed　eyes；　his　own　detested　image。　　〃I　have　examined　you　long　enough。　　I　have　read　your　heart；　and　written　out　your　secrets！　You　are　　but　a　shellthe　shell　that　holds　a　corrupted　and　sinful　heart。　　He　shall　live；　you　shall　die！〃　　The　rapid　motion　of　his　arm　overturned　the　candle；　and　all　was　dark。



Rufus　Dawes；　overpowered　by　the　revelation　so　suddenly　made　to　him；　had　remained　for　a　few　moments　motionless　in　his　cell；　expecting　to　hear　the　heavy　clang　of　the　outer　door；　which　should　announce　to　him　the　departure　of　the　chaplain。　　But　he　did　not　hear　it；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　the　air　in　the　cell　had　grown　suddenly　cooler。　　He　went　to　the　door；　and　looked　into　the　narrow　corridor；　expecting　to　see　the　scowling　countenance　of　Gimblett。　　To　his　astonishment　the　door　of　the　prison　was　wide　open；　and　not　a　soul　in　sight。　　His　first　thought　was　of　North。　　Had　the　story　he　had　told；　coupled　with　the　entreaties　he　had　lavished；　sufficed　to　turn　him　from　his　purpose？

He　looked　around。　　The　night　was　falling　suddenly；　the　wind　was　mounting；　from　beyond　the　bar　came　the　hoarse　murmur　of　an　angry　sea。　　If　the　schooner　was　to　sail　that　night；　she　had　best　get　out　into　deep　waters。　　Where　was　the　chaplain？　　Pray　Heaven　the　delay　had　been　sufficient；　and　they　had　sailed　without　him。　　Yet　they　would　be　sure　to　meet。　　He　advanced　a　few　steps　nearer；　and　looked　about　him。　　Was　it　possible　that；　in　his　madness；　the　chaplain　had　been　about　to　commit　some　violence　which　had　drawn　the　trusty　Gimblett　from　his　post？　〃Gr…r…r…r！　　Ouph！〃　　The　trusty　Gimblett　was　lying　at　his　feetdead　drunk！

〃Hi！　Hiho！　Hillo　there！〃　roared　somebody　from　the　jetty　below。　〃Be　that　you；　Muster　Noarth？　　We　ain't　too　much　tiam；　sur！〃

From　the　uncurtained　windows　of　the　chaplain's　house　on　the　hill　beamed　the　newly…lighted　candle。　　They　in　the　boat　did　not　see　it；　but　it　brought　to　the　prisoner　a　wild　hope　that　made　his　heart　bound。　　He　ran　back　to　the　cell；　clapped　on　North's　wide…awake；　and　flinging　the　cloak　hastily　about　him；　came　quickly　down　the　steps。　　If　the　moon　should　shine　out　now！

〃Jump　in；　sir；〃　said　unsuspecting　Mannix；　thinking　only　of　the　flogging　he　had　been　threatened　with。　　〃It'll　be　a　dirty　night；　this　night！　Put　this　over　your　knees；　sir。　　Shove　her　off！　　Give　way！〃　　And　they　were　afloat。　　But　one　glimpse　of　　moonlight　fell　upon　the　slouched　hat　and　cloaked　figure；　and　the　boat's　crew；　engaged　in　the　dangerous　task　of　navigating　the　reef　in　the　teeth　of　the　rising　gale；　paid　no　attention　to　the　chaplain。

〃By　George；　lads；　we're　but　just　in　time！〃　cried　Mannix；　and　they　laid　alongside　the　schooner；　black　in　blackness。　　〃Up　ye　go；　yer　honour；　quick！〃　The　wind　had　shifted；　and　was　now　off　the　shore。　　Blunt；　who　had　begun　to　repent　of　his　obstinacy；　but　would　not　confess　it；　thought　the　next　best　thing　to　riding　out　the　gale　was　to　get　out　to　open　sea。　〃Damn　the　parson；〃　he　had　said；　in　all　heartiness；　〃we　can't　wait　all　night　for　him。　　Heave　ahead；　Mr。　Johnson！〃　And　so　the　anchor　was　atrip　as　Rufus　Dawes　ran　up　the　side。

The　Commandant；　already　pulling　off　in　his　own　boat；　roared　a　coarse　farewell。　〃Good…bye；　North！　It　was　touch　and　go　with　ye！〃　adding；　〃Curse　the　fellow；　he's　too　proud　to　answer！〃

The　chaplain　indeed　spoke　to　no　one；　and　plunging　down　the　hatchway；　made　for　the　stern　cabins。　　〃Close　shave；　your　reverence！〃　said　a　respectful　somebody；　opening　a　door。　　It　was；　but　the　clergyman　did　not　say　so。　He　double…locked　the　door；　and　hardly　realizing　the　danger　he　had　escaped；　flung　himself　on　the　bunk；　panting。　　Over　his　head　he　heard　the　rapid　tramp　of　feet　and　the　cheery

Yo　hi…oh！　and　a　rumbelow！　

of　the　men　at　the　capstan。　　He　could　smell　the　sea；　and　through　the　open　window　of　the　cabin　could　distinguish　the　light　in　the　chaplain's　house　on　the　hill。　　The　trampling　ceased；　the　vessel　began　to　move　slowly　the　Commandant's　boat　appeared　below　him　for　an　instant；　making　her　way　back　the　Lady　Franklin　had　set　sail。　　With　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　tiny　light；　he　strove　to　think　what　was　best　to　be　done。　　It　was　hopeless　to　think　that　he　could　maintain　the　imposture　which；　favoured　by　the　darkness　and　confusion；　he　had　hitherto　successfully　attempted。　　He　was　certain　to　be　detected　at　Hobart　Town；　even　if　he　could　lie　concealed　during　his　long　and　tedious　voyage。　　That　mattered　little；　however。　　He　had　saved　Sylvia；　for　North　had　been　left　behind。　　Poor　North！　　As　the　thought　of　pity　came　to　him；　the　light　he　looked　at　was　suddenly　extinguished；　and　Rufus　Dawes；　compelled　thereto　as　by　an　irresistible　power；　fell　　upon　his　knees　and　prayed　for　the　pardon　and　happiness　of　the　man　who　had　redeemed　him。　　


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〃That's　a　gun　from　the　shore；〃　said　Partridge　the　mate；　〃and　they're　burning　a　red　light。　　There's　a　prisoner　escaped。　　Shall　we　lie…to？〃

〃Lie…to！〃　cried　old　Blunt；　with　a　tremendous　oath。　　〃We'll　have　suthin'　else　to　do。　　Look　there！〃

The　sky　to　the　northward　was　streaked　with　a　belt　of　livid　green　colour；　above　which　rose　a　mighty　black　cloud；　whose　shape　was　ever　changing。




CHAPTER　XVIII。

THE　CYCLONE。



Bunt；　recognising　the　meteoric　heralds　of　danger；　had　begun　to　regret　his　obstinacy。　　He　saw　that　a　hurricane　was　approaching。



Along　the　south　coast　of　the　Australian　continent；　though　the　usual　westerly　winds　and　gales　of　the　highest　latitudes　prevail　during　the　greater　portion　of　the　year；　hurricanes　are　not　infrequent。　Gales　commence　at　NW　with　a　low　barometer；　increasing　at　W　and　SW；　and　gradually　veering　to　the　south。　　True　cyclones　occur　at　New　Zealand。　The　log　of　the　Adelaide　for　29th　February；　1870；　describes　one　which　travelled　at　the　rate　of　ten　miles　an　hour；　and　had　all　the　veerings；　calm　centre；　etc。；　of　a　true　tropical　hurricane。　　Now　a　cyclone　occurring　off　the　west　coast　of　New　Zealand　would　travel　from　the　New　Hebrides；　where　such　storms　are　hideously　frequent；　and　envelop　Norfolk　Island；　passing　directly　across　the　track　of　vessels　coming　from　South　America　to　Sydney。　　It　was　one　of　these　rotatory　storms；　an　escaped　tempest　of　the　tropics；　which　threatened　the　Lady　Franklin。



The　ominous　calm　which　had　brooded　over　the　island　during　the　day　had　given　place　to　a　smart　breeze　from　the　north…east；　　and　though　the　schooner　had　been　sheltered　at　her　anchorage　under　the　lee　of　the　island　（the　〃harbour〃　looked　nearly　due　south）；　when　once　fairly　out　to　sea；　Blunt　saw　it　would　be　impossible　to　put　back　in　the　teeth